


That's My Girl

by SottoVoceSong



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Howl's Moving Castle Fusion, Ben is Extremely Dramatic, But Also Extremely Soft, F/M, Finn is Markl, Hux is Calcifer, It's pure fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 01:40:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29428257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SottoVoceSong/pseuds/SottoVoceSong
Summary: Benjamin has spent his entire life searching for the girl. His girl. His Rey.A short prequel to Howl's Moving Castle if Ben was Howl and Rey was Sophie for #ReyloValentines2021.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 10
Kudos: 44
Collections: Reylo Valentine’s 2021





	That's My Girl

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bobaheadshark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bobaheadshark/gifts).



> This work is a prompt fill for #ReyloValentines2021 for [bobaheadshark](https://twitter.com/bobaheadshark)!
> 
> I had a really fun time blending Howl with Ben to create the most dramatic, vain, but soft boy I could dream up. I loved the idea that Howl had been waiting his whole life to find Sophie again, so I wanted to expand on that in this fic. I really hope you love it as much as I do!
> 
> Follow me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/sottovocesong) and [Tumblr](https://sottovocesong.tumblr.com/) <3  
> 

* * *

Benjamin was depressed.

He had been languishing in the bathtub for three days now. He could hear Huxifer's howls of complaint ricocheting through the castle, but he couldn't find the energy to care.

Everything was a mess. The war raged on endlessly, bringing unnecessary death and destruction across the land. The summonses from the King kept on coming, each more urgent than the last. With each transformation, it was becoming more and more difficult to return to his human form.

But the thing that was really getting him down – the thing that bothered him most – was the fact that he _still_ hadn't found her.

He had travelled far and wide in his moving castle, searching everywhere from the bustling streets of Hanna City to the quiet pastures of Naboo. He had met plenty of pretty girls along the way, and he'd given in to his weaknesses on more occasions than he'd like to admit.

But there wasn't a whisper of the only person he _really_ wanted to find.

Benjamin was fast approaching thirty years of age, and he didn't know how much longer he could bear it. 'Find me in the future,' she'd said, but how long would he have to wait? Where was she? The girl had been young when he'd seen her – was she even born yet? The endless unanswerable questions disheartened him further, and he sank below the surface of the bath water, turned green by the slime exuding from his skin.

The spirits of darkness danced on the walls of the bathroom around him, and he welcomed their sorrowful calls. His apprentice, Finnegan, had quietly excused himself from the castle two days ago, disturbed by the scene, and he still hadn't returned. Good. Perhaps it was for the best. This was _awful_. It was just _terrible_.

If this was the fate of Benjamin Organa Solo, so be it. He didn't care if he died in this tub.

\---

Well, perhaps that wasn't _entirely_ true. A day or two later, Huxifer started refusing to heat the water any longer, and Benjamin was forced to drag himself out of the cold bath, offended by the icy water splashing against his skin. The spirits of darkness had receded somewhat, but Benjamin's gloomy disposition had not. He gazed at himself in the bathroom mirror, angling his body this way and that, and he was content with what he saw in his reflection.

Benjamin took _great_ pride in his appearance. His torso was long and lean, sculpted to perfection. His skin was fair and flawless, peppered with beauty marks that fell just so. His hair was glossy and gleaming, transfigured from black to white with the help of one or two magical potions. He was gorgeous, and nobody could deny it.

But that didn't seem to matter when it came to finding the girl, he realised with a laboured sigh. He turned away from the mirror, and skulked to his bedroom with downward cast eyes, stepping around the clutter with practised precision. He thought about throwing himself on his bed and staying there for the rest of the day, but his treacherous stomach growled, having been denied sustenance for almost a week. Grudgingly, he picked out an outfit from his vast wardrobe, opting for tight black breeches and a billowing blouse, the white ruffles cut low at the front to offer a glimpse of his ample pectoral muscles.

He slipped on his favourite boots – black leather with a small heel – and scowled. His usual getup wasn't going to cut it today. He needed something to lift his mood, he decided, scanning the vast collection of garments he had acquired over the years. Finally, his eyes landed on a glorious robe, embellished with diamond cuts of rouge and cerulean silk, and lined with deep red velvet. He fingered its golden trim, and couldn't help the smile that graced his full lips. It was _perfect_.

He shrugged on the robe, draping it around his broad shoulders, and finished off his look with his favourite jewels: a sapphire teardrop on a gold chain around his neck, and a pair of suspended emeralds for his ears. Finally, he slipped on his most precious piece of jewellery: a silver ring adorned with a charmed garnet. He admired the glittering gem on his finger, then frowned. It was _shining_.

His heart leapt. The ring was charmed to point towards home, no matter where in the world he was, but Benjamin was already inside the castle. Had been for days. This was _highly_ unusual.

His empty stomach forgotten, he bounded downstairs, ignoring Huxifer who was glowering in the hearth and spitting obscenities at him. He turned the dial above the door to green and flung it open. They were in the middle of the Western Reaches – there was _nothing_ out here.

'Huxifer, what's the nearest town?'

'Oh, so we're going to pretend that the last five days didn't happen?' scoffed the fiery demon. 'You know, I'm running on fumes here!'

Rolling his eyes, Benjamin tore himself away from the door and piled logs onto the hearth, quirking an eyebrow as Huxifer made a big show of consuming the dead wood. 'Well?'

'Oh, do forgive me for taking a moment to replenish myself,' the flame quipped sarcastically. 'The nearest town is Jakku, twenty miles south from here.'

Benjamin's brows knitted together. 'Jakku? The industrial town?' He shook his head. 'It's a junkyard.'

'And what about it?' retorted Huxifer. 'You asked, I answered. I never said it was an ideal holiday destination.'

Benjamin thought for a second, staring down at the sparkling gem on his finger. Sure enough, it was pointing south. He wondered… 'Huxifer, get us as close as you can without drawing the attention of the soldiers.'

The demon spat a couple of sparks out. 'Wait – you want to go towards the junkyard you were so upset about a moment ago?'

'Just do it!'

Huxifer sputtered indignantly, but course corrected the route of the castle nevertheless. 'By the way, Finnegan disembarked in Hanna City some days ago. If you're finally in a better mood, I suggest you turn the dial back so he can return.'

Benjamin ignored the dig, too deep in thought to pay the fire demon any mind, and wandered over to the entranceway. He returned the dial to red and opened the door. Sure enough, Benjamin's apprentice was huddled in the doorway, wrapped in his navy cloak. He opened a bleary eye in the older wizard's direction, looking him up and down dubiously.

'Done with your hissy fit? Spirits of darkness all cleared off?'

'Come inside. We're going to Jakku.'

Finnegan's eyes widened. 'Jakku? That junkyard?'

Benjamin resisted the urge to close the door on his apprentice again. 'I don't want to hear any more remarks on the matter,' he stated as Finnegan shuffled up the stairs. 'From either of you.'

The wizard raised his chin at his companions, as though daring them to say something. Huxifer and Finnegan shared a look with each other but remained silent. Satisfied, Benjamin nodded and turned the dial back to green.

'Don't worry. I've got a really good feeling about this.'

\---

The distance to Jakku wasn't particularly long, but then again, Benjamin's castle wasn't particularly fast. Well, not without creating a portal directly to their destination, and it seemed a waste of magic to do that when Jakku was already so close. Thus, they travelled the old-fashioned way, but it did nothing for Benjamin's nerves.

He anxiously paced the length of the main room with Huxifer and Finnegan looking on apprehensively. He constantly checked the ring to ensure that it was still pointing the way they were headed, and when he was feeling impatient, he performed silly magic tricks to distract himself from the urge to transform and fly there directly. After all, he wanted to look his best when he finally met her.

In his head, he ran through a mental list of all the things that needed to be prepared for this moment.

The castle left a lot to be desired, he thought. He'd gotten slack with his cleaning, and the place was dusty and dank. The soot from Huxifer had blackened the walls over time, and the windows were so grimy that he could barely see out. For somebody so concerned with aesthetics, his living quarters were deeply disappointing.

Well, it was a symptom of his sadness as of late, he reasoned. There was no time to do anything about it now.

So what about gifts? He didn't have much to give her, he worried. There was the ring, perfectly matched to his, but that wasn't much. He'd seen her once, long, long ago, but there had been no time to ask about her favourite colours or hobbies. If she liked dresses or shoes or jewellery, he was none the wiser. All he remembered were the wide hazel eyes he'd pictured so many times that he could draw them with his eyes closed.

Alright, he hadn't any gifts to give her, but there would be plenty of time for gifts later.

That left one thing: her garden. The little place in the mountains was where he'd first laid eyes on her all those years ago. Stars had been falling from the sky, lighting up her silver hair in shades of pink and yellow and blue. He had just made a pact with a demon, not really knowing what he had gotten himself into, but then she'd been there, calling his name. 'I know how to help you,' she'd said, and he hadn't understood what she'd meant until many years later.

'Rey.'

He said her name like a prayer, murmuring the single syllable softly. It was the only thing he knew about her, save for what she looked like.

Her garden would be in bloom now, although he'd been waiting so long to find her that it was more like a meadow at this point. Apart from his good looks, it was probably the best thing he had going for him, and that wasn't saying much.

 _God_ , he hoped she liked flowers.

\---

Huxifer brought the castle to a halt on the outskirts of the town, tucking it into the foot of the mountains. It was as close as they could get without alerting the warships that patrolled the skies. The _last_ thing Benjamin wanted was the King's soldiers on his tail when the girl he had been searching for was finally within reach.

He leapt from the door with a flourish. He could hardly _walk_ to Jakku, so he called on his magic to aid his footsteps through the sky, using the clouds as cover. For once, he allowed himself to enjoy the journey, relishing the summer breeze that ruffled his hair. His heart was light, and it was growing lighter by the minute, for the garnet on his finger was glowing brighter and brighter as he approached the small town, nestled into the curve of the valley.

He made his landing, perching on the turret of a quaint townhouse. As he surveyed the small town, he wrinkled his nose in disgust. There was some sort of military parade taking place – a show of might from the capital, he supposed. Overhead, light aircraft flew the kingdom's insignia over the market square, and below, tanks rolled through the town. The streets were swarming with soldiers, he noted with disdain.

Well, he would just have to be careful.

He leapt from his viewpoint and landed lightly on the cobblestones of the square below. He looked around at the revellers, wining and dining in the streets, and wondered if his girl was among them. Once again, he was troubled by the fact that he knew very little about the girl he'd been looking for. Would she approve of the military parade? Would she be drinking at the festival with her friends? Or was she tucked away somewhere far from the hustle and bustle of the crowds? Was his girl the quiet sort? Was she a soldier _herself_?

The idea sent a shiver down his spine. He put his hands on his hips, pondering his next steps, and the pause gave him time to notice something else: he had company.

Shapeless agents were lurking in the shadows – minions of Monsieur Palpatine, his former mentor. Benjamin and Palpatine had unfinished business, but that was not something that the wizard wanted to deal with right now. Not when he was so close to finding her.

He sprang onto the rooftops once more – going where Palpatine's cronies couldn't follow – and looked to his ring for guidance. He couldn't give up now. She was within reach.

He followed the light emanating from the tiny gemstone, away from the crowds of the festival and towards the back alleys that spiralled off the main streets. Below him, the minions followed, morphing through walls to keep up with him.

 _Damn_.

He didn't want to get her embroiled in this mess. He wouldn't have much time with her before they caught up, but he could tolerate that. He didn't even need to speak to her, if that would keep her safe. He just needed to see her so that he could find her again. After he had dealt with Palpatine (and he would. Eventually. Maybe.) he would have all the time in the world to get to know her. He just needed to see her.

He hopped over the rooftops, bouncing from turret to turret like he was made of raindrops, trying to create as much distance as possible between him and Palpatine's minions. The ring shone brighter now – he was close.

He peered into the alleyways below, scanning the empty streets for his girl. His heart was pounding in his chest, and his mouth was dry with anticipation, and–

–there she was. _His Rey_.

Benjamin's world stopped. For almost twenty years, he had waited for this moment, and it felt like the pieces of his life were falling into place one by one. For so long, he had felt alone in this world. For so long, he had felt incomplete. For so long, he had wandered this earth with the knowledge that his heart was waiting for him in the future. Now, she was here, and she felt like sunshine after a storm. _His Rey_.

She looked different than he remembered. Her hair was not the shock of silver that he recalled, but a pretty chestnut brown, piled into three buns at the back of her head.

So, his girl was _peculiar_. He liked that.

Her clothing was plain and practical – a polite way to say _ugly_ , he considered – but they could work on that. If his girl wasn't as self-obsessed as he was, that could only be a good thing anyway.

She was tall for a girl, but not so tall that she wouldn't look small next to him. Her skin was tan, dusted with freckles that he thought he might like to count later. Her lips were full and pink, arched in a perfect Cupid's bow at the top. He wondered if he'd ever get to kiss them.

At the centre of her face, the hazel orbs that he had dreamt about for all these years were shining defiantly, framed by long, dark lashes.

He frowned.

 _Defiantly_.

That was odd, he thought.

Suddenly, the voices of soldiers who'd had a little too much to drink floated up from the alleyway below. His girl – _his Rey_ – was in trouble.

He needed to help her, but he would only have a second to make a decision. He glanced behind him, and, sure enough, Palpatine's minions were gaining on him.

'Leave me alone!'

It was the first time he had heard her voice in almost twenty years, but he was troubled by the tone of it now. There was a tremor to her voice, but she sounded firm. Strong. His Rey was brave, he thought proudly.

Still, she needed his help now. He wouldn't delay any longer.

He floated to the ground behind her, and placed his hand on her shoulder. The gemstone twinkled on his finger.

He was home.

'There you are, sweetheart. Sorry I'm late, I was looking everywhere for you!'

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's Day! <3


End file.
